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Particles

Calculating protons, neutrons and electrons

  • 3 things to know
  • Paper 3

Overview

What atomic number and mass number are, working out the number of neutrons, what isotopes and ions are, where the two numbers are written beside a symbol, and counting the protons, neutrons and electrons in an atom and in chloride and magnesium ions.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Key term

What is the atomic number of an element?

Key term

What is the mass number of an atom?

Key term

What are isotopes?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    What is the atomic number of an element?

    Model answer

    The number of protons in the nucleus of one of its atoms.

  2. 2

    What is the mass number of an atom?

    Model answer

    The total number of protons and neutrons in its nucleus.

  3. 3

    How is the number of neutrons in an atom worked out?

    Model answer

    By subtracting the atomic number from the mass number.

  4. 4

    What are isotopes?

    Model answer

    Atoms of the same element that have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons.

  5. 5

    What is an ion?

    Model answer

    A particle with an overall electrical charge, formed when an atom or group of atoms loses or gains electrons.

  6. 6

    In the standard notation for an atom, where are the mass number and the atomic number written?

    Model answer

    Both are written to the left of the element symbol, with the mass number above and the atomic number below.

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